Two major feature films could be on their way to Co Derry by the end of the year.

And, with them could be as much as 1,000 jobs.

That's according to Jo Gilbert, of Shackleton Studios Ltd, who are based at the former British army base in Ballykelly.

Not much is known about either film - just that one is American and the other British.

One of the films reportedly has a budget of £65m.

“There’s nothing I can say right now - not until it is confirmed and the ink is dry”, she said.

“The two films, one is a US film and the other is a UK film, will generate massive employment for the entire North West area. There is going to be a knock-on employment effect. I am talking about the ancillary services and all the other services that would be required - plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters..."

She told the Londonderry Sentinel that the studio in Ballykelly had the potential to be the biggest in the UK.

She said: “There is between £4-5 billion per annum from the creative industries in the UK in terms of gross domestic produce. Bring that into the context of what we are doing in Ballykelly.

“One film could employ 100 to 150 people directly. The film we are working on right now we have 120 people and around 60 per cent of those people are from the local area. It is not a very large film either. We are more than capable of having four or five films simultaneously.

SUCCESS: Game of Thrones has been filmed extensively in Northern Ireland (Photo: Sky)

“The knock-on effect for tourism can be huge as well. You only have to look at what Game of Thrones has done and that is only one production.”